Terry Gilliam loses his soul to Hollywood

The `Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus` director gets concerned that money-driven studios could sap the integrity from his work and has compared his experience of arguing with film bosses over the release his 1984 movie `Brazil` to that of the fictional character Dr Faustus, who sold his soul to the devil.

Back then Terry famously took out a full-page advertisement in Variety magazine asking when the dystopian dark comedy would be available to see in cinemas after waiting six months for a release date.

He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "They actually said it was unwatchable, unrealeasable, everything. That was a Faustian moment. I could have done the deal, given the studio a happy ending.

"It`s my basic nightmare, of when I`m going to make that bargain without realising I`ve made that bargain. When I watch my friends in Hollywood who have become more and more successful, I actually feel they have lost their soul."

However, the former `Monty Python` star - who is currently directing an opera based on the fateful character called `The Damnation of Faust` - says he prefers to struggle in his filmmaking.

He said: "I get very nervous when things are going well. My best films are the ones where I have the most difficult time."